Ferocious ... geckos? • His favorite is a pet crested gecko that his 8-year-old daughter named Tammy. “That little guy is very sticky and doesn’t bite,” he says. “We have one species, the tokay, that holds onto your finger for about 20 minutes.”

The new Velcro • He wants to take his invention from the lab to every desk drawer in America.

But, it’s not there yet • “If you look at the live animal, it does things so beautifully.” He says the tape needs to be stronger and cleaner. “You see geckos fall into dust and then get up and stick right away.”

Top three inventions of all time • 1. airplane, 2. telephone, 3. computer

His real passion • Flying. He wants to take off without boarding a plane. “I want to press a switch and take off for home. I would very much like to see that happen.”